Barely a day after lift-off for the Strategic Defence Review, there are serious questions about whether the government needs to go further.
It has emerged senior defence figures believe the prime minister will have to bow to pressure from NATO to announce a target of spending 3.5% of GDP within a decade.
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It’s no surprise the 32-member defence alliance – facing its greatest twin challenge since the end of the Cold War – is calling for more money.
With Russia bringing war to Europe, and Donald Trump making clear the US is not willing to fund its security indefinitely, countries are already stepping up like never before.
What is stark is the widespread acknowledgement in Whitehall that spending 3%, which is still only a government ambition for the next parliament, will be a minimum.
The authors of the Strategic Defence Review make clear Britain is most likely to fight a future war not on its own, but as a leader in NATO – and NATO’s spending ambitions are soaring.
Money is tight – and there are plenty of priorities
The secretary general of NATO, Mark Rutte, is calling for 3.5% on hardware and an overall 5% target for military, cyber and intelligence spending.
Keir Starmer’s spokesman insisted today it is “not just about cash” – the UK steps up as a member with its nuclear programme, combat aircraft, carriers, and the quality of its personnel.
But with only a firm commitment to a rise to 2.5% in two years’ time, and the Ministry of Defence already over budget on its current commitments, the ambitions set out for 12 new attack submarines,…
